Total births
7,021
Boys' name · since 1880
Johnson
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 7,021 babies named Johnson, peaking in 2000. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3526
- among boys today
- 7,021
- born since 1880
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 75%
- more common than other boys
7,021 babies have been named Johnson since 1880, making it today's #3526 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Johnson has been recorded 7,021 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #3526 nationally and more common than 75% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #3526 among boys today
- 7,021 born since 1880
- 1990s peak decade
- 75% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Johnson is currently the #3526 boys' name in America, more common than 75% of boys - 7,021 born since 1880, peaking in the 1990s.
- #3526
- among boys today
- 7,021
- born since 1880
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 75%
- more common than other boys
Johnson vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3526
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 75% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
13% of everyone ever named Johnson was born in this single decade.
2000
Single peak year
111 babies were named Johnson in 2000 - its busiest year on record.
How Johnson compares
7,021 Top 10% higher than 90% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Johnson's all-time total is 19x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Johnson | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 7,021 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 111 | 23 | 22,252 |
Johnson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Johnson's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 62% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 38%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1894, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 2000 peak of 111, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Johnson at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2000
Current rank
#3,526
Active since
1880
Johnson popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2000)
- 111
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Johnson popularity over time - girls
22 total births recorded since 1917 (Johnson as girls' name)
Johnson by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Johnson's strongest decade.
884 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.
Johnson births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 126
1880s
126 births
- 1890s 155
1890s
155 births
- 1900s 221
1900s
221 births
- 1910s
1910s
522 births
- 1920s
1920s
632 births
- 1930s
1930s
411 births
- 1940s
1940s
472 births
- 1950s
1950s
365 births
- 1960s 352
1960s
352 births
- 1970s 268
1970s
268 births
- 1980s
1980s
822 births
- 1990s
1990s
884 births
- 2000s
2000s
879 births
- 2010s
2010s
641 births
- 2020s 271
2020s
271 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 884 births (13% of all-time use).
How Johnson compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Johnson's total volume
Johnson vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Johnson by state
Where Johnson concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 876 | 12.5% |
| #2 | New York | | 361 | 5.1% |
| #3 | Texas | | 300 | 4.3% |
| #4 | Florida | | 194 | 2.8% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 193 | 2.7% |
| #6 | South Carolina | | 106 | 1.5% |
| #7 | Alabama | | 103 | 1.5% |
| #8 | Arizona | | 101 | 1.4% |
California share of Johnson's total US births 12.5%
Even split
876 of 7,021 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 22 reporting states.
Johnson appears in 22 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Johnson? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 7,021 babies named Johnson. Today it holds rank #3526 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2000, with 111 births.
When was Johnson most popular? ▼
Johnson was most popular in the 1990s decade with 884 total births. The single peak year was 2000.
Where is Johnson most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Johnson are California (876 births), New York (361 births), Texas (300 births).
How long has the name Johnson been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Johnson since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Johnson? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include John, Johnny, Johnnie, Johnathan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Johnson's data
- Johnson's decade-level peak was the 1990s (884 total births); usage has since declined to 271 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Johnsons (876 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Johnson
Nearby Names Like Johnson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Johnson
John Boy
#21 5,182,633 births
Johnny Boy
#456 317,918 births
Johnnie Boy
#2313 102,099 births
Johnathan Boy
#513 98,262 births
Johnathon Boy
#2083 25,600 births
Compare Johnson side by side: Johnson vs John Johnson vs Johnny Johnson vs Johnnie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Johnson
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Johnson: #3526 Boys' Name - 7,021 Births, Peak 2000." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/johnson. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Johnson draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.